Observation unit for bees or the like



Aug. 22, 1939. D E, @BERNE -2,170,210

OBSERVATION UNIT FOR BEES OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. l5, 1938 3/ v ,157592,ENTOR. Y BY iam/MLM` .in 25 WMMLMMW' ym ab k"K5 ATTORNEY E E I S i! i?ft Patented Aug. 22, 1939 t 2 17() 210,;

MAR a 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,170,210 OBSERVATION UNIT FORBEES OR THE LIKE Donald E. OBeirne, Waukesha., Wis. Application August15, 1938, Serial No. 224,889 14 Claims. (Cl. 6 1) This invention relatesgenerally to improvefolded into compact form for shipment and ments inthe art of housing bees or the like, and handling. relates morespecifically to improvements in the I Still another specific object ofthis invention is construction and operation of bee observation toprovide a simplified, portable and conveniently 5 units and to themethod of admitting bees to such adjustable observation unit adapted tobe eifec- 5 units. tively locked in collapsed as well as in normalGenerally stated, an object of the present inopen position, and'which isextremely durable in vention is to provide an improved observationconstruction.

unit for bees or the like, which may be readily Another specific objectof the invention is to constructedand operated, and which is moreoverprovide an improved observation unit capable of highly eicient andpractical in operation. being mounted on a window sill or the lile,'with It has long been common practice for schools, out destroying theutility of the window. hospitals, and other institutions, and forpersonsl An additional specific object of the invention is generallyinterested in the study and raising of to provide a new and useful beeobservation unit bees, to observe their habits through glassenassociable with the Window of a building, and 15 closures or cages.Since the activity of the bee is having improved means for permittingingress greatly increased in light and Well ventilated and egress ofthebees to and from the unit from' places, it is highly desirable toposition the obthe ambient atmosphere, the area of the passageservationunits close to Windows or similar openway being controllable from withinthe building.

ings. It is also desirable to position such units Still another spe'cicobject of the invention is 20" near a window in order to enable passageof the t-o provide an observation unit for bees wherein bees to and fromtheir natural habitat by means the bees are eectively protected fromundesirof a suitable passageway communicating with the able climaticconditions, such as cold weather and ambient atmosphere, and withoutnecessitating extraordinary light.

movement or repositioning of the observation A further specific objectof my present inven- 25 unit when it is desired to free the bees. It istion is to provide an observation unit of such size moreover desirableto provide a substantial supthat the complete cycle of brood rearing maytake port for such an observation cage, in order to place Whileportraying a constant perspectiveof prevent the cage from fallin-g anddelivering the any individual bee from the time the bee enters 3o beesinto the building, and also in order to prevent the unit until itdeparts therefrom, and without 30 undesirably disturbing the bees whileat work. obstructing the observers view. Since Windows are of varioussizes and styles, any A further object of my invention is to providemode of attaching an observation cage to a winan impro-ved structure forsupporting the brood dow should be adapted for application to any framesections of a bee observation unit While Window so as to permituniversal use of the cage. permitting independent removal thereof. 35

A practical observation unit should also be pro- Still another object ofmy invention is to provided with suitable means for completely connvidean improved method of eifecting bee observaing the bees when desired,and for freeing them tion, and of causing the bees to enter an observa-When the observations have been completed, and tion unit located withina building or the like 40 should moreover be provided with means foradewithout injuring the bees or permitting escape 40 quately protectingthe bees While in the unit. thereof. It is therefore a more specificobject of my A further object of the invention is to provide presentinvention to provide a new and useful an improved process of admittingbees to an observation unit which in fact embodies all of theobservation unit, whereby the cage while assemabove mentioned desirablefeatures, and which bled may be filled with bees to capacity with 45 lmay be manufactured and sold at moderate cost. minimum danger to theoperator. Another Specific object of this invention is t0 These andother specic objects of the inven- Vde an mDIOl/ed ObSGIVaOn unit Whichmay tion will be apparent from the following detailed pro be readilyassembled and adjusted for associatlon (description with any StandardWrldOW, regardless 0f the A clear conception of the several featurescon- 50 Width of the sill or the height thereof from they stituting thepresent improvements, and of the floor. morde of constructing and ofutilizing observation A further specific object of my invention is tounits built in accordance with my present invenprovide anadjustableobservation unit for bees or tion, may be had by referring to thedrawing the like, which may be readily dismantled and accompanying andforming a part of this speci- 55 `without disturbing the others.

iication wherein the reference characters designate the same or similarparts in the various views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled observation unit, showingthe same applied to a fragment of a standard window;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through a fragment of the observation unitand through a portion of the Window, the section being taken along theline 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a transverse horizontal section through the lower portion ofthe unit, taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and showing one of thesill adapters folded into locking engagement with the unit as when notin use;

Fig. 4 is a part sectional side View of the portion of the observationunit remote from the window, showing the supporting structure therefor;

Fig. 5 is an end View of the supporting easel, showing the samecollapsed; and

Fig. 6 is an .end view of the lower portion of the observation unitlooking toward the control mechanism for the bee inlet and outletrunway, a portion of the structure being broken away to reveal theshutter and the shutter being shown in dot-and-dash lines in openposition.

While the inven-tion has been shown herein as being specically appliedto a bee observation unit adapted to be placed within a room, it is notdesired to unnecessarily restrict the scope by such specic embodiment.

Referring to the drawing, the improved obser- .vation `unit comprises ingeneral a cage having substantially vertical opposite transparent sides1; a removable top or head board 8; top rails 9 at theopposite-sides ofthe board 8; vertical end pieces I, II; and a base I2. This observationcage normally contains several honey comb sections I5, and va pluralityof brood frames I3, I4 which are disposed beneath the sections I5 andwhich may be inserted within or removed from the observation cageindependently of each other when one oi the glass sides 'I is removed.The upper brood frame I3 is provided with opposite end lugs I6 which arecooperable with grooves IB in the end walls IU, I I to suspend the frameI3, and the lower brood frame id is `likewise provided with opposite endlugs Il which are cooperable with other grooves i9 in the end walls It,Ii to likewise suspend the frame Iii, and with this assemblage either ofthe brood frames I3, I4 may be readily removed or inserted within thecage One or both of the top rails 9 may be provided with an adjustablewindow shade 20 for regulating the exposure of the cage to the light,and an additional glass plate 2l may be added to either one or bothsides of the cage so as to provide insulating air spaces for thetransparent areas of the cage.

The base I2 is provided with improved sill adapters 22, 23 which aresecured to this bas-e by means of hinges 24, 25. These sill adapters 22,23 are telescopic and may be lengthened or'shortened by means ofextensions 26, 2 respectively, and adjustment bolts 28 coacting with thetubular extensions. The bolts 28 are not absolutely necessary, but thesill adapters should preferably be provided with latohing means forretaining the same in collapsed position against the cage as shown inFig. 3. This latching means comprises a headed lug 29 formed on eachextension 26, 27 and cooperable with a resilient socket 30 formed on theadjacent side of the base i2. The base i2 also has a groove or runway 3|formed therein whichserves'as an entrance and exit passage for the bees,and this base as well as the end walls Ill, II is also provided withgrooves 32 into which the glass sides "I are iitted so as to completethe enclosure.

While one end of the cage is supported from the Window sill, theopposite end. thereof is preferably provided with an easel or doorsupport as shown in Fig. 1. This iloor support comprises legs 33, 34which are swingably interconnected andare provided with adjusting bolts38, and extensible legs 35, 36 formed with elongated slots 37 coactingwith the bolts 33. The leg 34 has a bracket 39 swingably connectedthereto by a pivot '36, and the bracket 39 is adapted to be swungtransversely into a position adjoining the leg 33 and when so positionedmay be attached to the leg 33 by means of a bolt d2. Such transversedisposition of the bracket 39 places this bracket in a position forengagement with a groove 4I formed in the lower portion of the base I2,and the adjustable leg sections 35, 33 may obviously be so positionedthat the unit will be held in desired position with respect to thefloor. The legs 33, 34 `are swingably connected by a hinge 33, and areprovided with notches 45 which are adapted to embrace a retaining bolt44 carried by the in.- ner end wall I of the unit, and when the wing nutwhich coacts with the bo-lt ill is adjusted to clamp the retainingwasher in position, the easel provides a rigid support for the unit. Theend wall II beneath which the passage or groove 3| extends, is providedwith an adjustable closure or valve 4S having a curved slot il thereinwhich is cooperable with a Xed pivot d8 so as to permit opening andclosing of the runway. By adjusting the slide or Valve 46, the bees maybe either confined within the unit, or the passage 3! may be opened moreor less so as to regulate the entry or escape of the bees.

Ordinarily the observation unit would be assembled by iirst positioningthe end walls or pieces I, II upon the base I2, and the top rails 9 maythen be properly positioned relative to the walls Ii), II. One of theglass sides 'I may thereafter be slid into proper position along thegrooves 32, and either one or both of the brood frames I3, I4 may bethereafter inserted through the other open side of the cage. Afterproper assembly of the-brood frames has been effected, the remainingglass side may be slid into position Whereupon the unit is ready for thereception of the bees. The be-es may be-inserted within the unittogether with the brood frames I3, I4, but this practice has provenrather dangerous to persons assembling the unit as well as injurious tothe bees. In accordance with `my improved method, I ll the unit withbees by admitting them through the opening at the top of the unitbetween the side rails 9 after the empty brood frames I3, I4 have beeninserted and before the top .plate 8 is applied to the cage. I insertthe bees into a funnel having its discharge opening in opencommunication with the open top of the observation unit, and by placinga cloth or screen containing carbolic acid solution above the top of thefunnel. The obnoxious nature of the carbolic acid gases then causes thebees to travel downwardly into the unit and the admission of the beesmay be augmented by gently shaking the funnel and the unit. When thedesired number of bees have been thus admitted to the unit, the honeysections l may be positioned therein and the removable head board 8 maybe applied and lfastened in place.

If the unit is positioned Within an-undesirably hotor cold building, theextra glass plates 2| may be provided and these plates produceinsulating spaces or air pockets at opposite sides of the cage and thus`protect the bees. If the exposure to strong light is undesirable, theunit mayV also be provided with curtain shades 20 which may be raised orlowered to any desired extent so as to further p-rotect the insects.Application of these shades 20 may also aid the observer in viewing thecolony through unshaded portions of the unit, by providing a darkbackground on the opposite side of the cage. The shades 20 may bemounted directly on `the removable side trails 9, and the auxiliaryglass plates 2| may be fitted in slides secured to the end walls I0, Il.

When the observation unit is in normal use, the bees may either beconfined within the unit, or freed therefrom, by manipulation of theslide valve 46. This valve 46 may obviously be set in any desiredposition from within the building and without disturbing the window withwhich the unit is associated, to either enlarge or diminish theeffective area of the bee passage 3l, and the valve is preferably soconstructed that it will not entirely close off this passage and willpermit at least limited ventilation of the interior of the unit.

From the foregoing specific description it will be noted that thetelescopic sill adapters 22, 23 which are fastened to the base l2 bymeans of the hinges 24, 25, will permit the unit to be readily appliedto the sill of an ordinary vertically adjustable window. The adapters22, 23 are shaped for snug engagement with the window sill as shown inFig. 2, and the extensions 26, 21 which may be slid within the tubularadapters 26, 21 'are thus adjustable to conform with windows of variouswidths. For very Wide windows, additional extension bars 22', 23 may beadded as shown in Fig. 1, and the bolt 28 is merely pro-vided 'in orderto retain the extensions and the bars cooperating therewith in properposition. When the sill adapters are collapsed, they are held in placeagainst the opposite sides of the base l2 by means of the lugs 29cooperating with the resilient sockets 30, and it is also to be notedthat when the unit is associated with a window, normal opening andclosing of the window is not interfered with since the lower portion ofthe window is adapted to snugly coact with the topr of the sill adapter.

It will also be noted that the easel provided at the opposite end of theunit constitutes a readily adjustable support cooperating with the sill'adapter in order to maintain the unit in substantially horizontalposition. This easel which may be conveniently adjusted to variousheights by manipulating the wing nuts coacting with the bolts 38 mayalso be readily removed from the unit and collapsed into `compact formfor hand-ling and shipment. The cross bar or bracket 39 when positionedas shown in Fig. 1 provides a rigid brace for the easel and preventscollapse thereof when in use, and this bracket 39 may obviously be swunginto alinement with the leg 36 as shown in Fig. 5, when the easel iscollapsed. When the easel is properly assembled and the several wingnuts of the clamping bolts are properly tightened, there is no danger ofhaving the unit displaced from its moorings. The improved observationunit has proven highly satisfactory in actual commercial use and can bemanufactured and sold at moderate cost. The improved method of admittingbees to the unit may also be practised Without danger of having the beesenter the building and without injuring the bees, since the fumes arenot injurious to the insects.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this inventionto the exact details of construction or to the precise mode ofoperation, herein shown and described, for various modifications withinthe scope of the claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A bee observation unit, comprising, a bee confining cage having anobservation opening therethrough, an elongated sill adapter secured toone end of the cage and formed for disposition between a window and itssill, and a support at the opposite end of said cage.

2. A bee observation unit, comprising, a bee confining cage having anobservation opening therethrough, a longitudinally adjustable elongatedsill adapter secured to one end of the cage and formed for dispositionbetween a window and its sill, and a vertically adjustable iioorsup-port at theopposite end of said cage.

3. A bee observation unit, comprising, a bee confining cage having anobservation opening therethrough, a pair of longitudinally adjustableelongated sill adapters secured to one end of the cage and formed fordisposition between a window and its sill, said sill adapters beingfoldable along and attachable to the sides of said cage, and avertically adjustable floor support at the opposite end of said cage,said floor support being detachable from said cage.

4. A bee observation unit, comprising, a bee confining cage havingopposite transparentsides, a plurality of superimposed broodframesdisposed between said transparent sides, and means associated withsaid cage for supporting said brood frames and for allowing removal ofeach of said frames from the cage independently of the other.

5. A bee observation unit, comprising, a bee confining cage having anobservation opening therethrough, a sill adapter secured to one end ofthe cage and formed for disposition on a window sill, and a bee exitcommunicating through the window opening with the outer atmosphere.

6. A bee observation unit, comprising, a bee confining cage having anobservation opening therethrough, a support at one end of said cage, asill adapter secured to the opposite end of the cage and being formedfor disposition between a window and its sill, and a bee runwaycommunieating directly with the outside past the sill adapter.

'7. A bee observation unit, comprising, a bee confining cage havingopposite transparent sides, means associated with said cage fordetachably mounting the same from the win-dow structure of a building,means forming a passage communieating with the youter atmosphere, andmeans for opening and closing said passage from within the building.

8. A bee observation unit', comprising, a bee conning cage having anobservation opening therethrough, a sill adapter secured to one end ofthe cage and formed for disposition on a window sill, a bee exitcommunicating through the window with the outer atmosphere, and a valvefor controlling the effective area of said exit.

9. A bee observation unit, comprising, a bee conning cage having anobservation opening therethrough, a support at one end of said cage, asill adapter secured to the Vopposite end of the cage and formed fordisposition between a window and its sill, a runway communicatingdirect- 1y with the outside past the sill adapter, and a slide operablefrom within the room for opening and closing said runway.

10. A bee housing unit, comprising, a bee confining' cage, an adjustableWindow sill adapter secured to one end of said cage, and an adjustableiioor support at the opposite end of said cage.

1l. A bee housing unit, comprising, a bee conning cage, an adjustableWindow sill adapter secured to one end of said cage, and a passagewaycommunicating directly with the other atniospnele past the sill adapter.

12. A bee housing unit, comprising, a bee conining cage, a window silladapter secured t'o one end of said cage, a passageway communicatingwith the outside past the sill adapter, and a floor support at theopposite end of the cage.,

13. A bee housing unit, comprising, a bee conning cage, a window silladapter secured to one end of said cage, a passageway communicating withthe outside past the sill adapter, and means for controlling the area ofsaid passageway from within the building.

14. A bee housing unit, comprising, a bee conning cage, a window silladapter secured to one ond of said cage, a passageway communicating withthe outside past the sill adapter, means for controlling the area ofsaid passageway from within the building, and a vertically adjustablefloor support at the opposite end of said cage.

DONALD E. OBEIRNE.

